Golf balls



Dec. 27, 1955 F. s. MARTIN ETAL 2,728,576

GOLF' BALLS Filed Dsc. l0, 1953 W fw/ ATTORNEY GOLF BALLS Frank S. Martin, Cranston, R. I., Thaddeus A. Pietraszek, Fall River, Mass., and Peter Dornik, Jr., Gaspee Plateau, R. I., assignors to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 10, 1953, Serial No. 397,434

4 Claims. (Cl. 273-232) This invention relates to golf balls, and more particularly it relates to golf balls having novel cover markings that give improved flight performance.

It is known that the cover markings on a golf ball have a great effect upon the flight performance of the ball. For example, a spherical ball having a smooth surface has poor flight characteristics in that it cannot be driven as far as a ball having depressions in its surface. Consequently, golf balls are manufactured having such depressions. Heretofore golf balls have been manufactured having generally two types of irregular surfaces. In one construction, the golf ball cover has been provided with a multiplicity of smooth, round, somewhat semi-spherical shaped dimples therein. In another construction the golf ball surface has been provided with a mesh marking in which a multiplicity of raised bands are provided about the surface of the ball so that four adjacent bands bound square, rectangular and quadrangular shaped depressions in the surface of the balls. Balls having such surfaces can be driven significantly further than can a ball having a smooth surface, and since the length of drive is an essential feature in the satisfactory use of these balls, balls having such surface characteristics are desirable. Although either of these surface markings give improved flight characteristics to the ball, it is found that a ball having a dimpled surface has somewhat better flight characteristics than a ball having the standard mesh mark surface above described.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved golf ball having better .flight characteristics than the balls heretofore generally used, and more particularly to provide an improved golf ball which can vbe driven further than balls heretofore generally used.

We have found that if a modified mesh marked ball be provided having raised surface bands of a critical width, a ball will be produced which has improved flight characteristics over the balls heretofore made. To achieve these improved flight characteristics, the bands should be formed having a width equal to from 23 to 33% of the sum of the width of the band and the width of the depression between the bands. If the band widths are kept within this range the ball can be driven further than balls heretofore made, but when the band width is made wider or narrower than values within this range the flight performance of the ball deteriorates and an inferior ball is produced. A mesh marked ball in accordance with this invention having such a band width will have from approximately 58% to 39% of the sur`- face of the ball sphere occupied by the depressions between the bands. In one preferred embodiment in accordance with this invention this band width ratio is approximately 26%, and in such a ball the depressions will occupy approximately 57.1 of the surface of the sphere.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of this invention the depressions between the bands are formed having the shape of an inverted pyramid. The walls of this pyramid are concavely curved, so that the intersection of a perpendicular plane passing through the lowermost point of the depression with the sidewalls of the depression forms a continuous curved arc from one band to the next. Preferably the edges of the bands are slightly rounded to further streamline the ball. A ball having this band width and depression conguration not only provides improved flight characteristics, but the surface is constructed such that it has improved light reflective properties, and consequently the ball looks larger than conventional balls although in fact it is of the same size as conventional balls. 'Il-1e depth of the deepest point in the depression, i. e., the apex of the pyramid, beneath the surface of the ball is kept the same as that heretofore generally adopted for depression depth in standard balls and found to give the best flight characteristics.

In forming golf balls, the surface of the ball is formed by placing the ball having the usual balata covering in a negative mold which is adapted to mold the desired imprint on the surface of the ball. In specifying the surface desired in the ball, it is accepted practice in the art to specify mold dimensions rather than ball dimensions because of the difficulty, inherent in the method of producing these balls, in precisely reproducing the mold dimensions in a series of balls made from the same mold or in a series of identical molds. Furthermore, after the ball is molded it is customary to paint the surface of the ball, and therefore its surface will depart somewhat from the surface imparted in the mold because of the coating of paint applied to the ball. However, any discrepancies which may occur in the ultimate surface of the ball from that provided on the mold are relatively insignificant, and the exigencies of ball production make it acceptable and desirable to specify the ball surface in terms of the mold dimensions. Accordingly, it should be understood that throughout this specification and the appended claims the ball surface is to be achieved by providing a mold having the stated dimensions, and that a ball produced in such a 'mold will conform substantially to these dimensions.

.ln one specific4 embodiment of this invention a ball is provided with a mesh marking which has three pair of, thus a total of six, poles. The two poles in any pair are disposed at diametrically opposite points on the surface of the ball, 'and the six poles are arranged such that the distances from any one pole to each of the other poles excepting the diametrically opposite pole are uniform. The ball surface is provided with an equatorial band for each pair of poles, and three bands are provided on each side of each equatorial band. These additional bands define planes which are substantially parallel to the plane defined by their equatorial band, and each of those bands on the ball surface which define substantially parallel planes is substantially uniformly spaced about the surface of the ball. The bands are made of uniform width falling within the ratio specified above of 23 to 33%. The depressions have the curved pyramidal construction described above and these depressions occupy from 58% to 39% of the ball surface. The edges of the bands are curved to 'further streamline the ball. Such a ball in lligldit test gives longer flight than the balls heretofore ma e. f

For a better understanding of the nature of this invention, reference should be had to the following description of a specific embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a golf ball in accordance with this invention looking at one pole thereof;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view looking along the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 at a second pole of the golf ball shown in Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view through the balata cover and a portion of the golf ball winding i taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown a golf ball 11) embodying this invention having the usual core (not shown), the usual winding 12 and balata cover 13. This balata cover 13 has impressedv thereon a series of depressions 11 which are bounded by continuous raised bands A, Ai, A2, etc., B, Bi, Bz, etc., C, Ci, C2, etc. ln accordance with this invention, the bands A, B, C, etc., and the depressions 11 each are made having a substantially uniform critical width, although in the figures, such as Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, some of the bands, for example A3 and Ae may appear smaller than others of the bands, for example A, because the bands are disposed on a surface of a substantially .spherical ball and the views of the drawings look at this ball from a plane at the pole of the ball.

Referring next to Fig. 3, the bands, such as that shown at A4, are illustrated having a width x. Although it will be appreciated that the surface of the band A4 might lie along a slight arc because of its disposition on the surface of the sperical ball, this dimension is specified customarily as the chordal dimension of this band and it is so specilied here. The depressions 11 are illustrated having a width y. As shown the dimension y is similarly a chordal dimension. In accordance with this invention, the width of the band A4 (x), and of the other bands on the surface of the ball, is made from 23% to 33% of the sum of the width of the depression 11 and the Width x of the band A4 (x-l-y); and the surface area of the depressions, as measured on the ball, occupy from 58 to 39% of the area of a` sphere having the diameter of the ball. On a ball having such a surface, the ratio of the Width of the bands to the circumference of a standard American ball will be from approximately .81% to approximately 1.16%. Correspondingly the ratio of the width of the depressions to the circumference of the ball will be from approximately 2.73% to 2.38%. In a preferred embodiment the ratio of the Width of the band to the sum of the width of the band and the width of the depression is approximately 26%, the surface area occupied by the depressions constitutes approximately 51.1% of the surface of the sphere formed by the ball, the band width is approximately .93% of the circumference of the ball and the depression width is approximately 2.61% of the circumference of the ball.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the modiiied mesh mark surface is constructed to provide a six pole ball. By a comparison of Figs. l and 2 it will be seen the ball appears identical when viewed from any of the six poles. For convenience of description, the view shown in Fig. 1 will be referred to as a view looking at the upper pole of the ball. The bottoni pole of the ball is diametrically opposite the upper pole, and a bottom view of the ball would appear identical to Fig. l. The pole shown in Fig. 2 will be referred to as the front pole of the ball. The rear pole of the ball is diametrically opposite this front pole and a rear view of the ball would appear identical with Fig. 2. A right elevational View of the ball shown in Fig. 1 would be identical with Fig. 2, and it would show what may be termed the right pole of the ball. A left elevational view of the ball shown in Fig. l would similarly be identical with Fig. 2 and would show the left pole of the ball. As shown, the six poles of the ball are uniformly spaced about the surface of the ball so that the distances from any one pole, for example the top pole, to every other pole excepting the diametrically opposite pole, i. e., the distances to the front, back, right or left pole, are identical. ln the embodiment shown, the ball surface is provided with an equatorial band for each pair of poles. Thus the equatorial band A is provided for the right and left poles; the equatorial band B is provided for the front and rear poles; and the equatorial band C is provided for the top and bottom poles. Three additional bands are provided on each side of each equatorial band, and each of these additional bands defines. planes which are substantially parallel to their equatorial band. Thus as seen in Fig. 1, the bands A1, A2 and A3 are provided to the left of the band A, and the bands A4, As and As are provided to the right of the band A. Bands defining planes parallel to the equatorial band B are provided as shown, the bands Bi, B2, and Bs being on one side of the band B and the bands B4, Bs and Bs being on the other side of the band B. So also the bands Ci, C2, Cs, C4, C5 and Cs are provided parallel to the equatorial band C. As heretofore pointed out, each of the bands defining substantially parallel planes is substantially uniformly spaced from the planes defined by the adjacent parallel bands.

All of the bands on the surface of the ball, i. e., A.. Ae, B.. Bs, and C... Cs, are of substantially the same width. As shown in the drawings, four adjacent bands bound a depression, .e g., bandsA, Ai, B, and B4. bound a depression 11. Thesedepressions 11 as shown are formed as inverted pyramids. The depressions 11 form indentations beneath the normal surface 14 of the sphere formed by the ball. The distance from the centrally disposed apex of the pyramid to this surface 14 is indicated at Z in Fig. 3. This depth of maximum depression preferably is made the same as that heretofore customarily used, i. e., approximately .014 inch. As best shown in Fig. 3, the sides of the pyramid are formed of concavely curved surfaces so that the intersection of a plane passing through the apex of the pyramid with this surface, e. g. the plane 3 3, defines a continuous curved are from tbe edge of one band Ai to the adjacent band A as shown, and as indicated by the arc radius r.

Preferably the edges of the bands are somewhat rounded as indicated by the radius R of these edges. Although the rounding of these edges may be varied as desired, in general it is found that if this radius is from .01 to .02 inch a satisfactory ball can be produced. In one specific embodiment wherein the ratio of the width of the bands (x) to the width of the bands plus the width of the depressions (x-l-y) is approximately 26%, a radius of .01 inch is found to be highly satisfactory.

The following specific example will further illustrate the invention. A ball having the six pole construction shown in the drawings and described above was made. This ball was of the standard diameter for American balls of 1.68 inches. The dimension z was .014 inch, and the radius r was .224 inch. The radius R was .010 inch. The band width x was .050 inch and the depression width y was .1394 inch. The area of the depressions 11 as measured on the ball surface was approximately 51.1% of the area of a sphere having the diameter of the ball. The ratio of the width of the bands to the sum of the width of the bands and the width of the depressions was approximately 26%. The band width was approximately .93% of the circumference of the ball and the depression width was approximately 2.61% of the circumference of the ball. Driving tests of this ball showed that it could be driven significantly further than either the mesh mark ball heretofore used or the dimple ball described above.

For a standard American ball constructed in accordance with this invention wherein the ratio of x to the sum of x and y is in the range of from 23 to 33%, the band width x will fall within the range of .044 to .062 inch, these band widths will be from approximately .81% to approximately 1.16% of the circumference of the ball and the width y will be correspondingly from 2.73%.to 2.38% of the circumference of the ball. The area occupied by the depressions will constitute from approximately 58% to 5 39% of the surface area of a sphere having the diameter of the ball.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A golf ball including a surface comprising a series of raised bands and depressions therein bounded by said bands, said depressions having substantially the shape of inverted pyramids with concavely curved sides, said bands having a width of approximately .93% of the circumference of the ball, the ratio of the width of said bands to the sum of the width of said bands and the width of said depressions being approximately 26%.

2. A golf ball in accordance with claim 2 wherein the band width is approximately .050".

3. A golf ball including a surface comprising a series of raised bands and depressions therein bounded by said bands, said surface having six poles uniformly spaced on the surface of the ball, a band lying substantially at the equator of the ball for each pair of said poles, three further bands on each side of each equatorial band defining planes substantially parallel to the plane dened by said equatorial band, said bands having a width of approximately .050", the ratio of the width of said bands to the sum of the width of said bands and the width of said depressions being approximately 26%, said depressions havng substantially the form of inverted pyramids having curved sidewalls such that a plane intersecting the wall of the pyramid forms a line of intersection that lies along a continuous curve from one band through the apex of said pyramid to an opposite band.

4. A golf ball in accordance with claimv 3 wherein the bands have rounded edges.

References Cited inthe le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,194,751 Knight Aug. 15, 1916 2,002,726 Young c May 28, 1935 2,106,704 Davis Feb. 1, 1938 

